LOS ANGELES – If there is an NLDS Game 4 tomorrow, John Maine said he believes he can handle it on short rest.

Willie Randolph said Thursday that Maine was a candidate to pitch Game 4 on three days rest, joining Oliver Perez as a contender.

Maine pitched Game 1 vs. the Dodgers on Wednesday.

“They haven’t asked me,” Maine said, “but, yeah, I think I can do it.” Maine, who gave up one run in 41/3 innings Wednesday and tossed 80 pitches, said he never has pitched on short rest professionally.

Randolph said yesterday of his Game 4 starter, “We’ll see where we are after [tonight’s] game.” * Cliff Floyd said yesterday there has been no major change concerning the status of his left Achilles tendon.

“[It] feels OK. So hopefully [today] it’ll be a little bit better than this, and we’ll be all right,” Floyd said. “I have to deal with it.

Willie ain’t taking me out of the game. So you’ve got to go out there and play.” Floyd said he aggravated the Achilles during Game 2.

He has tendinitis.

*

There are four teams with managerial vacancies – Washington, San Francisco, Texas and the Cubs – but Randolph hasn’t heard from any of those teams about his coaches.